Ken Feinberg announced yesterday the oil spill fund has paid out $5 billion dollars to claimants to ensure the entire Gulf Coast region is made whole, and considering that British Petroleum put $7 billion dollars into an escrow account at the behest of Barack Obama and all things mea culpa, well kudos to you Ken! Damn good show! $5 out of $7 billion dollars spent … Continue reading 25% of $20 billion dollars is an F…for Feinberg
Feinberg just changed the rules again. On Tuesday, he added a rules modification to the GCCF claims process, designed to tighten payout criteria. “It is clear, that as time passes, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine whether changes in revenue and earnings are due to the oil spill or other factors,” the notice said. Clear…how clear exactly? 5% clear. Those (both business and individual) who continue … Continue reading Feinberg’s five percent modification…
Last month, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood filed a lawsuit against Ken Feinberg, stating he and the GCCF had not complied with a subpoena issued last February asking for full access to GCCF records so Hood’s office could put them under review. Among other things, Hood alleges that Feinberg has intentionally stalled payments to oil spill claimants in the hopes financial desperation will encourage settlements … Continue reading Feinberg stalls Hood’s lawsuit…
David Pitofsky, Feinberg’s attorney, stated yesterday in a court filing it is their belief the GCCF already has adequate oversight so there is no need for the court to order any additional supervision, “The GCCF is already effectively supervised by the Coast Guard and several committees of Congress, and it has voluntarily agreed with the Department of Justice to an independent audit of the claims … Continue reading Ken says he already has enough oversight…again
Over a year in, and the spill heard round the Gulf remains in its infancy. Sucks to write it, read it or hear it, but nonetheless it’s the truth. Sure, a large portion of the oil has been cleaned up and yes, the tourists are coming back. One might head down to the Gulf, take a look at the water and see that everything looks … Continue reading The point is, nobody knows…
Last year, I was walking down the street when a police car jumped the curb and hit a garbage can. This receptacle flew through the air, striking myself and three others, knocking us all through a plate-glass window of a downtown ice cream shop. Well, of course all four of us sued the city. The cop was texting at the time and not paying attention … Continue reading $450 dollars for being knocked through a plate glass window? Man, those claimants are ridiculous…
On Wednesday, US Attorney General announced via letter that he and Ken Feinberg had agreed to an independent audit of the GCCF’s claims process, and whereas this audit was perceived to be a welcome idea, one whose time is long since due…there remained some concerns. Writing two days ago, I expressed a number of questions about how encompassing this audit might be, about the fairness … Continue reading About that audit…Hood questions and Florida wants in…
Well, it’s about time…Ken Feinberg and the GCCF will undergo an independent audit by the end of the year. US Attorney General Eric Holder announced the audit in a letter sent yesterday to Feinberg which reveals the two men held a closed door meeting on July 7th. Apparently at this meeting, Holder told Feinberg of the complaints he heard from claimants while in Mobile, which … Continue reading The GCCF audit cometh, good, but I’d feel better if…
In a shocking development affecting both the Gulf Coast and the nation, BP joined in with GOP finger pointing and now argue if they are required to tighten their belts any further, the same goes for the rest of the Gulf too. The oil company argued their case in a 29 page document made public Friday and filed with both the GCCF and the White House. The company says the free … Continue reading British Petroleum enters debt ceiling fray, demands spending cuts nationwide…
In article after article on the spill and the GCCF, come the words, “slipping through the cracks,” in reference to the inevitability that some who have rightful claim to the British Petroleum compensation fund will be denied payment for any number of reasons…they couldn’t prove their physical ailments came as a result of exposure to the spill, they didn’t have the proper documentation, they didn’t … Continue reading Not one, is not unreasonable…
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 